Tripoli, 16 September:
A further strike by Libyan air traffic controllers in Tripoli and Benghazi, this time lasting less than 12 hours, . . .[restrict]ended this evening, with no clear idea why the strike had taken place in the first place, nor what settlement may have been reached to cause the controllers to return to work.
The strikers, who as with a disruption earlier this month, apparently over management changes, did not give the required 72 hours notice, forced the diversion or cancellation of a number of flights, A Tunisair flight from Benghazi was unable to take off when ATC was closed at 10:00 hrs this morning AFP reports that among other flights affected was a Qatar Airways service to Benghazi, which was obliged to divert to Alexandria.
The controllers are reported to have given different reasons for stopping work. Some cited pay and conditions, while others complained of the security situation. Benghazi airspace was earlier closed for two days until this Friday, because of the deployment of US drones, apparently searching for Salafist killers of American Ambassador Christopher Stevens and his three colleagues on Monday evening.
No spokesman for the air traffic controllers could be reached for comment this evening. [/restrict]
